Note: This had m/m slash or shonen-ai. Some emphasized words are in italics.
Play and Denial
Shit! I hope he didn't see me!
The blonde-haired knight peeked around the corner of the building into the street dressed in his normal garb without the noisy metal armor. He was just on one of his daily walks when he stumbled on something interesting… Percival was standing very close to another man and looked like he was flirting with the other man. Percival even put an arm on the other man's shoulder. Borus almost yelped when Percival's heard turned towards him. Luckily he pulled himself behind the wall into safety. He decided against another peek and walked back to the barracks.
It certainly was a new development. Just yesterday Percival was flirting just as ostentatiously with a few women. He always seemed to have some sort of women crowd around him of all ages and statures. Percival never showed such deviation before…wait, was he admitting that he stalked Percival on his free time every day? Of course he didn't. It was just a mere coincidence that he encountered Percival and his flock. They were like a crowd of ducks, yapping and flapping their wings so loudly that anyone would notice.
Now in his room, Borus sat in his bed polishing his armor with a rag half-heartedly. He wondered why seeing Percival with a man evoked more emotions in him then when he saw Percival with multiple women. Was he jealous? No, he didn't think of Percival that way. The one he loved the most was Chris. And she was just his surrogate sister.
Percival bade the young man farewell with a wink and a smile before turning to leave. Maybe he should flirt with men more often. His lips formed a smirk when he thought about Borus. What a sight. Borus, with his mouth opened unconsciously into a small "o", his eyes almost falling out his head, and the red flush that painted his skin. Heh, I didn't know it would give such a rise out of him. Percival knew that Borus came by and watched him everyday during his daily "walks". One time he teased Borus about it and Borus sent him a scathing glare. He almost was burned by it.
He guessed that he should have been bothered by Borus's attention if he wasn't teasing Borus. Borus was almost like a secret admirer except in the fact that he wouldn't admit it. Percival, instead of being bothered, enjoyed his attention. He could honestly say that he was attracted to Borus more than he was to anybody else, including Chris. Chris was beautiful, but in an untouchable sense. Borus was beautiful both inside and out, with his wondrous blonde locks to his passion for the knighthood. He never spent time to analyze just how deep his affections were, but he knew they were deeper than friendship.
He also knew that Borus felt the same way. Though it would be no fun without flustering him. Borus always looked better with a healthy red color in his face.
Percival made plans for tomorrow's outing. If anything, Borus's curiosity would get the better of him and he would be hiding behind that building once again.
"You know, I dreamed about you last night," the man cooed into his ear. He was shirt-less from the heat of the summer night and sitting upright in his bed. He could feel the other man's heat even though they weren't even touching.
"You were sitting just like this, half-naked with those white sheets tangled around your legs. I came in so quietly that you didn't notice me at all. I approached you and whispered into your ear. Then I took you by the shoulder and did this."
The man's hand gripped his right shoulder, turning him around. That dark hair and hazel eyes…it couldn't be Percival? His mouth gaped as the other face came closer and closer….
Borus woke up, sweating from the heat of the night. What time is it? Damnit, it's still night time. He unstuck himself from the bed and stood up. He let himself cool down before lying on top of the sheets. Why did I dream of him, of all people?
"You like him. Admit it."
Borus groaned. Now his subconscious was bothering him. How the heck was he supposed to go to sleep?
"Those 'walks' that you take? It's more like spying on Percival. Because you want to know his every move."
No! Did he have to remind himself again that he happened to find Percival every time he roamed Brass Castle, talking to women in the street? The town was quite small; it was easy to find someone.
"Quit deluding yourself. You're just in denial."
Borus tried to fall asleep but unsuccessfully drifted from dreams to consciousness the rest of the night.
Percival was standing in the same spot as yesterday. Was his shirt a little less wrinkled, a little cleaner than yesterday's? It looked like he invited the same man over again. Borus choked when Percival placed his lips close to the man's ear, but spoke in a voice clear enough to reach Borus. It was almost the same quote as that from the dream, but with a different man.
"You know, I dreamed about you last night," Percival whispered into the man's ear. "You were sitting on a bed, half-naked with those white sheets tangled around your legs. I came in so quietly that you didn't notice me at all. I approached you and whispered into your ear. Then I took you by the shoulder and did this."
Percival turned the other man's face around. He leaned closer. Borus waited, his heartbeat beating a thunderous pulse. From what he could see, Percival's lips were on the other man's. The other man had closed his eyes and not pushed Percival away, and Percival did not break the kiss. Borus felt as if someone smashed his heart, but he didn't understand why. He couldn't watch any longer, and fled towards his quarters.
Percival pulled away from the other man, sighing in relief. "I hope that worked," he said aloud. He wiped his mouth, though not because he touched the other man's lips. "Man, it was hard to stay balanced like that for so long," he commented.
The other man smiled. "I think it did. It seems like your friend scurried away, thinking that we kissed each other."
"How about your own boyfriend? Weren't you trying to make him jealous too?" Percival wondered.
"Boyfriend?" the man said, laughing much to Percival's surprise. "I'm a ladies' man. I have a girlfriend and have no attraction to males whatsoever."
"Well that's good, because if you did like me…well there isn't much to say," he said. He put his hand into his pocket and pulled out some potch. "Here you go. Now you can prove that you were hired to do the job and not voluntarily participated."
The other man bowed his head. "Thanks. Well, maybe I'll see you some time."
"It would be a pleasure," Percival replied before returning back to the castle.
Borus couldn't look at the dark-haired knight at the dinner table, which was noticed by everyone including Chris. It wasn't that he didn't try or anything; it was just that he couldn't. He kept imagining those perfect lips touching the other man's. He wondered how silky they felt on skin. Oh, why was he calling Percival perfect?
"Because he is. I'm glad you realize that."
Borus was getting pretty pissed at his subconscious. Not only did it bug him last night, causing him to lose sleep, but it constantly ran a commentary throughout the whole day, interrupting his concentration during training. He wondered if he should give in to this nagging voice…
Ah, hell. He should just get away from the strange looks he was receiving from the others at the table and retire to his room. He wasn't hungry anyway.
"Please excuse me," he said, getting up from his seat and setting his utensils gently down onto his plate, "but I'm not hungry anymore. I'll see you in the morning."
With a bow of his head he turned to leave. Not even three paces later, Salome called out his name. "Borus!" he shouted.
Borus turned around immediately and looked Salome, though not directly. "Yes?"
"Please talk to us if you need any help. I hope you take care of your problem soon," he said.
"I will," Borus promised, daring to look up at Salome. He felt an older sibling-like affection washing over him gazing into those eyes. He only soaked in that warmth for a moment, because he then turned around and retreated to his room.
The omniscient Salome approached him after the meal was over. Though it was obvious to anyone, including the oblivious Chris, that something was wrong with Borus and it somehow was connected to Percival. Borus never was sneaky and always looked people straight in the eye. Unless he was uncomfortable, which of course was Percival's fault.
"Percival," Salome said, "I want you to deal with this tonight. You've played with him enough."
"Yes, Salome," Percival replied. "I was planning to anyway."
Salome smiled. "Good. I know you like him and that you know he likes you in return so wrap it up tonight. It's not that he shouldn't be the one approaching you, but that he is stubborn."
"Oh, I know," Percival commented before he left the dining area for Borus's quarters. Now it was time for the confession. Percival made sure he prepared for the worst before knocking on the door. He wondered if Borus would be a bit troublesome and try to run away. He smirked when he imagined himself wrestling him to the ground and leaning in for the kiss…
Borus heard a loud knock on his door and assumed that it was Percival. If only he could have looked at Percival during dinner today, no one would bother him. He had tried so hard, but he had been afraid of betraying himself to the rest of the knights. At least they only knew he had a problem that dealt with Percival, but they didn't know what it was.
Borus combed through his hair one last time with his fingers before slowly opening the door. As expected, Percival stood outside, a smirk on his face. A smirk? Was Percival playing with him this whole time, hoping to make a fool out of Borus? He was angry with himself for falling for Percival's tricks. However, at this time, he channeled the anger towards Percival, sending him a scathing glare.
"Are you coming here to gloat? Everyone knows that I have a problem concerning you. At least they don't know what it is, unless you of course told them," Borus said.
Percival, to his surprise, blinked at the statement before frowning at him. He shut the door firmly behind him and locked the door. "Borus," he said smoothly, "I want to talk to you honestly, and without outside ears."
Borus backed away from Percival, moving towards the open window, keeping a safe distance away from Percival. He did not want to imagine what Percival was going to say. As Percival backed Borus into a corner, Borus suddenly focused on the other man's lips. The ones that were suddenly close enough to touch, if he leaned forward a few inches…
"Borus," Percival said huskily in a whisper, putting a hand on the blonde man's shoulder, "I've wanted to do this for a long time." Percival leaned forward, his eyes closed, expecting their lips to meet, but instead meeting a fist in his stomach.
"Percival," Borus said. "Don't play with me." His eyes shone with a burning anger, muted but not masked.
Percival frowned. Had he sent a wrong signal sometime before? He knew he had been teasing Borus, but he never did anything that said that he did not want Borus. "Borus, I'm serious."
Borus's eyes flared in response. "Flirting with that guy, then kissing him, saying the exact same thing you said to me in my dream, then coming here with a smirk on your face, like you beat me…"
Percival finally understood what had happened. "Borus, let me explain," he interrupted, putting his other hand on Borus's other shoulder. He waited until Borus looked straight at him before continuing. "I've been attracted to you for a long time. I noticed that you watched me flirt with women sometimes, so when I flirted that day with that man, I was hoping to send you a message. I'm sorry for tricking you today by pretending to kiss that man."
Borus's face turned red when Percival mentioned that he had noticed Borus on those walks. His mouth gaped like a fish when Percival mentioned the pretend kiss. "You didn't kiss him?" Borus said quietly.
"No. It was the longest ten seconds in my life, trying to stand there like that. I didn't want to accidentally kiss him," Percival replied.
"So you didn't even like that guy?" Borus asked. Was he feeling relieved? Percival hoped so.
"No. He likes women only. I was kind of surprised myself, seeing how well he went with the ploy. But I guess he figured the money was worth it," Percival answered.
"You paid him?" Borus said.
"Well, yes…" Percival was a bit embarrassed now by the fact he paid someone. It might have been the first time Percival blushed in front of Borus. Borus thought the blush looked quite awkward across his features. He was trying to sort everything out, and soon forgot that detail.
"So you were trying to make me think about males in that way with your little plot?" Borus wondered.
"It wouldn't have affected you if you didn't have some sort of attraction in the first place," Percival said.
"But I'm not gay! I'm not attracted to men like that!" Borus shouted.
Percival gripped his shoulders tighter and shook him a bit. "Borus, you may not be gay but you are attracted to me. And I am attracted to you."
Borus shrank away from the touch. "No…" Though Percival moved in closer, closing the gap…
Percival kissed him, a light brush on the lips. Borus did not resist. Taking that as acquiescing to another kiss, Percival leaned in again and kissed more passionately. Borus responded to his touch with equal fervor. Percival pressed Borus against the wall with his own body. Borus's arms came around Percival's back. Percival broke off the kiss and looked down at Borus who was still held against the wall by Percival's strong grip.
"This kiss is evidence enough. Say it. Tell me that you want me," Percival said, though not begging. He let go of Borus's shoulders and took a step back, allowing Borus ample breathing room.
Borus thought for a moment, as if putting the last pieces in a puzzle, and then smiled. "I want you, Percy," he said huskily.
Percival smirked. "To the bed?" he asked.
Borus smacked him lightly. "Don't think like that."
Percival laughed. "You know, I dreamed of you last night…"